This is a novel process for converting chlorinated hydrocarbons to metal chlorides and oxides of carbon.
Undesirable chlorinated hydrocarbons are conventionally handled by incineration. However, such operations are generally expensive in part because of the fuel required to sustain combustion. Moreover, nitrogen oxides or other undesirable by-products may be produced. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a method of converting chlorinated hydrocarbons to useful products.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,486,912 teaches that carbon tetrachloride can be reacted with titanium dioxide to yield titanium tetrachloride and oxides of carbon. However, other chlorinated hydrocarbons are generally recognized to be much less reactive (unless the chlorinated compound decomposes to carbon tetrachloride at the reaction conditions).
Unexpectedly, it has now been found that by maintaining he appropriate ratio of carbon to available oxygen, virtually all chlorinated hydrocarbons will essentially completely react with a suitable refractory metal oxide.